Social Justice 10!

Running head: DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE 1

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE 4

Distributive Justice

Inan Avci

Cambridge College

Distributive Justice

Distributive justice is an approach that explains the ownership of goods in a society. The concept is based on the assumption that goods are distributed equally and fairly in society. According to Capeheart & Milovanovic (2007), distributive justice deals with the perception of fairness in the distribution of burdens and benefits in society. Various classical theorists have come up with varying approaches to justice. These theorists include Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), Max Weber (1864-1921), and Karl Marx (1818-1883). Emile Durkheim’s concept of justice is focused on two forms of social solidarity; mechanical and organic. Mechanical solidarity is based similarity while organic solidarity is based on differences and both are situated in the historical development of the society. Durkheim asserts that society is oriented towards differentiation and division of labor is the critical factor in the development. The society with less political and economic influence would gradually move from a less differentiated society with mechanical bonds of solidarity to a more differentiated one and organic bonds of solidarity (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007). People are less depended on each other in a mechanically bonded society, unlike organically bonded society. In such a case, the concept of justice is undifferentiated and shared. Durkheim argues that justice is measured by applying an equal measure to differences.

Max Weber (1864-1921) holds a different approach to justice from that taken by Durkheim. Weber believes that the principle of justice should acknowledge the existence of differences in abilities and needs among individuals in a society. While Durkheim holds that division of labor leads to the development of a society from mechanical to organic solidarity, Weber argues that society develops from a pre-capitalist to capitalist society. He also advocated for a multi-causal approach to the rise of capitalism. Weber asserts that capitalism developed as a result of rationalization which means a codification of laws. The opposing forces of capitalism interested in formal law and rationalism interested in absolutism led to the formation of homogenous law (Capeheart & Milovanovic,2007). ‘Desert,’ as a principle of justice states that an individual enters an association as a free agent and deploys his skills and talents to advance his goals and justice will be served only when he is rewarded for his contribution.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) was the greatest thinker among the three classic theorists. Unlike Durkheim and Weber, Marx believed that justice must be viewed from the perspective of the mode of production in place. He categorized forms of production into slavery, feudalism, communism, and capitalism. Whatever is regarded as fair in one mode of production is unjust in another mode. His observation on slavery form of production was unjust. Marx also differs from Durkheim on the approach of measuring justice. Marx argues that applying equal standards to differences is unjust. The constitution of justice can be analyzed using structural Marxist, instrumental Marxist, constitutive Marxist and structural interpellation. Instrumental Marxist, for instance, suggests that justice is organized to promote the interests of the ruling class and maximize profits or exploitation.

Numerous historical, social justice movements have employed distributive justice to address fairness in Turkey. Although Turkey has had a strict policy on all sorts of social movements and organizations, it started tolerating them after the mid-1980s. Some of the movements formed to fight for social and distributive justice in Turkey include Kurdish ethnic nationalism, Islamism, Human Rights Activism, Feminism and the Alevi cultural movement (Simsek, 2004).

References

Capeheart, L., & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues, and movements. Rutgers University Press.

Simsek, S. (2004). New social movements in Turkey since 1980. Turkish Studies, 5(2), 111-139.